Systems and methods for interacting with a computer through handwriting to a screen

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods are described that enable a user to: select a control with a handwritten stroke at least part of which resides outside of a selectable area of the control; use a moving-input control without having to make a selection other than handwriting on, over, or near the control; and/or delete text displayed on an electronic form by handwriting over that text.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to interacting with a computer throughhandwriting.

BACKGROUND

Many computing devices, such as hand-held computers, PDAs, and PalmPilots™, enable users to interact with the device by handwriting overthe device's screen. This handwriting may be converted into text or acommand that the device can understand.

Interacting with a computer through handwriting, however, can becounter-intuitive and problematic. Take, for instance, how users oftenselect a control, such as a check box or radio button. Users may selecta check box by “tapping” a stylus point within the box. Tapping withinthe box can be counter-intuitive because tapping may have to be learned;it is not like writing on a paper form, with which most users arealready comfortable. Also, tapping to select a check box can bedifficult on a small screen as the box into which a user taps may bequite small.

Take also, for instance, how users often interact with moving-inputcontrols, like drag-and-move or drawing controls. When a user ishandwriting in a mode that allows the handwriting to be interpreted astext, a user may none-the-less want to draw or use a control having amoving input. To do so, often a user must “tap-and-hold” the control.Suppose, for example, that a user is attempting to handwrite text intoan existing word-processing document. Suppose also that the user wishesto scroll down to a particular place in the document. To do so, the usercan use a slider-bar control. To use this control and scroll through thedocument, often the user must tap on the slider-bar and hold that tapdown until the computer recognizes that the user is attempting to usethe slider-bar rather than enter text. Having to tap and hold a controlbefore using it can be counter-intuitive and difficult, especially forsmall controls on small screens.

These and similar problems can make interacting with computing devicesthrough handwriting difficult and/or counter-intuitive.

SUMMARY

Systems and methods (“tools”) are described that, in at least someembodiments, make more intuitive and/or effective interacting with acomputing device through handwriting.

In some embodiments, for instance, these tools enable a user to select acontrol with a handwritten stroke at least part of which resides outsideof a selectable area of the control.

In other embodiments, for instance, these tools enable a user to use amoving-input control without having to make a selection other thanhandwriting on, over, or near the control. In doing so, the tools maydetermine that the user intends the handwriting to be treated as inputto a moving-input control rather than recognized as text.

In still other embodiments, for instance, the tools enable a user todelete text displayed on an electronic form by handwriting over thetext.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary architecture having a computing deviceand exemplary applications and a screen shot illustrating an exemplarydata-entry form.

FIG. 2 sets forth a flow diagram of an exemplary process for enabling auser to select a control.

FIG. 3 illustrates the exemplary data-entry form of FIG. 1 and a screenshot, the screen shot showing the data-entry form after handwriting hasbeen received and displayed.

FIG. 4 illustrates the exemplary screen shot of FIG. 3 and a boundedwriting area for the handwriting.

FIG. 5 illustrates the exemplary data-entry form of FIG. 1 and a screenshot showing the data-entry form after handwriting has been received anddisplayed.

FIG. 6 sets forth a flow diagram of an exemplary process for enabling auser to use a moving-input control.

FIG. 7 illustrates the exemplary data-entry form of FIG. 1 and a screenshot showing a path of handwriting made on the data-entry form.

FIG. 8 illustrates the exemplary data-entry form of FIG. 1 and a screenshot showing a scroll down from the screen shot shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 sets forth a flow diagram of an exemplary process for enabling auser to delete text displayed on a screen by handwriting over that text.

FIG. 10 illustrates the exemplary data-entry form of FIG. 1 and a screenshot showing text displayed in a data-entry field of the form withhandwriting displayed over some of the text.

The same numbers are used throughout the disclosure and figures toreference like components and features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Overview

Systems and methods (“tools”) described below can, in at least someembodiments, make more intuitive and/or effective interacting with acomputing device through handwriting.

In one embodiment, for instance, a user is able to select a control witha handwritten stroke at least part of which resides outside of aselectable area of the control. By so doing, users may to select acontrol without needing to tap inside a box or button of the control.

In another embodiment, for instance, a user is able to use amoving-input control without having to make a selection other thanhandwriting on, over, or near the control. The tools may determine,based in part on a geography of a user's handwriting, that the userintends the handwriting to be treated as input to a moving-input controlrather than recognized as text.

Also, the tools may enable a user, in still another embodiment, todelete text displayed on an electronic form. The user may be able todelete text in a data-entry field, for instance, by handwriting over thetext in the field.

Exemplary Architecture

Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary system/architecture 100 is shownhaving an exemplary computing device 102 with a processor 103, a tabletscreen 104, a stylus 106, a data-entry form 108, and computer-readablemedia comprising: auto selector application 110; moving-input selectorapplication 112; and scratch-out selector application 114. Thisarchitecture 100 and its components are shown to aid in discussing thetools but are not intended to limit their scope or applicability.

The computing device comprises hardware and software capable ofcommunicating with or executing the auto selector, the moving-inputselector, and/or the scratch-out selector. The computing device is alsocapable of communicating with a user through the tablet screen. Thetablet screen is capable of presenting this and/or other data-entryforms to a user and receiving input from the user. The tablet screen canreceive input from a user handwriting over the tablet screen with thestylus, for instance. Other types of screens and input manners may alsobe used. In another embodiment, a display screen is used that displayshandwriting not necessarily written directly over the display screenitself. In this embodiment, the architecture is capable of receivinghandwriting from a user through another device (not shown) that is madeto, but not over, the display screen, such as handwriting made with amouse.

Data-entry form 108 comprises multiple data-entry fields and textexplaining them. It is, however, just one example of many types ofuser-input manners that may be used herein. Other types of user-inputmanners may comprise dialogs, such as those for saving a file, selectingan option, entering information, and the like; word-processingdocuments; tables; and other manners capable of enabling receipt ofinput from a user.

The auto selector, moving-input selector, and scratch-out selectorapplications may operate separately or in combination and comprisecomputer-readable media executable by a computing device, such ascomputing device 102. These applications are capable of performingvarious acts described below.

Enabling a User to Select a Control

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary process 200 for enabling a user to select acontrol, such as with handwriting at least part of which resides outsideof a selectable area of the control. This process is illustrated as aseries of blocks representing individual operations or acts performed byelements of architecture 100, such as auto-selector 110. This and otherprocesses described herein may be implemented in any suitable hardware,software, firmware, or combination thereof. In the case of software andfirmware, these processes represent sets of operations implemented ascomputer-executable instructions.

At block 202, the architecture displays a data-entry form havingselectable controls. These selectable controls can comprise radiobuttons, check boxes, and the like. Each control may have a selectablearea, such as the box of a check box or a button of a radio button,through which a user may select the control by tapping a stylus pointwithin the selectable area. Often, if the selectable area indicates thatthe control has already been selected, the user's selection acts todeselect the control; both selection and de-selection may represent auser's selection of the control. For radio buttons, for instance,selecting or deselecting one of the buttons may be treated as aselection or de-selection of another of the radio buttons.

A display of exemplary selectable controls is shown in FIG. 1. There,various examples of controls having selectable areas are shown,including a check box control 116 and four radio button controls 118,120, 122, and 124. The check box control has a selectable box area 126.The radio button controls have selectable button areas 128, 130, 132,and 134.

At block 204, the architecture receives handwriting. This handwritingcan comprise one or more handwriting strokes made to a screen by a user.The auto selector can receive the handwriting stroke from variousdevices or software, such as directly from tablet screen 104.

As an example, consider FIG. 3. There, data-entry form 108 and a screenshot 300 showing the data-entry form after handwriting 302 has beenreceived and displayed over the form is shown. Here, the handwriting isa single stylus stroke received from a user through tablet screen 104.In another embodiment, the handwriting is received from a user throughanother device, such as a mouse that enables handwriting to be made to ascreen without necessarily requiring a user to handwrite over thatscreen.

At block 206, the auto selector may determine if the handwriting is neara selectable area of a control. By so doing, the auto selector candetermine that a user may intend to select a control even if thehandwriting received does not initiate within a selectable area, ceasewithin the selectable area, and/or intersect the selectable area. Thus,unlike the “tap” stroke described in the Background section above,handwriting may be used to select a control without a user's stylushaving to intersect or start, stay, and/or stop in the selectable area.

In some cases the architecture may determine that the handwritingintersects the selectable area of the control and also is of a certaintype. If this type comprises one or more handwritten strokes intended todelete information (such as those set forth at block 908 of process 900below), the auto selector may de-select the control at block 212(described below).

Continuing the illustrated embodiment, handwriting 302 is determined tointersect selectable box area 126 shown in FIG. 3.

At block 208, alternatively or additionally to block 206, the autoselector geometrically bounds at least a portion of the handwritingreceived, thereby generating a bounded writing area. The auto selectormay, for instance, bound a beginning, middle, and/or end of thehandwriting received. In one embodiment, a bounding-type algorithm isused.

Consider, for example, FIG. 4. In this illustrated embodiment, the autoselector computes a bounded writing area 402 for handwriting 302 shownover data-entry form 108. This is shown for explanation, and so may notbe shown to a user. In this example, the bounding-type algorithmgenerates a rectangle—although any suitable shape may be used.

At block 210 (FIG. 2), the auto selector compares the bounded writingarea with control geometries for selectable controls. These controlgeometries can comprise selectable areas of the controls, such asselectable box area 126 of FIGS. 1, 3, and 4. These control geometriescan also comprise areas associated is with the control, such as an areaoccupied by text describing the control.

Continuing the illustrated and described embodiment of FIG. 4, the autoselector compares the bounded writing area occupied by the boundingrectangle against selectable areas of data-entry form 108, such asselectable box area 126 and selectable button areas 128 through 134. Inthe illustrated example, all of the selectable box area overlaps thebounding rectangle.

At block 212, the auto selector selects the control. In two of theabove-described embodiments, the auto selector selects the check boxcontrol 116. In one of these embodiments, it does so because thehandwriting intersects the selectable box area (see block 206).

In another, it does so by comparing control geometries for selectablecontrols with a bounded writing area for the handwriting. In thisembodiment (see FIG. 4), the auto-selector compares the overlappingareas, picking the field with the largest overlap (here only theselectable box area overlaps with the bounded writing area). If there isno overlap, the auto selector can, for example, select a selectablecontrol (or data-entry field) closest to the bounding rectangle, ignorethe handwriting, or inform the user as to how to select controls througha dialog box.

The auto-selector may, however, balance and/or rely on both of thesemanners of selecting a control.

As another example, consider FIG. 5. There, data-entry form 108 and ascreen shot 500 showing the data-entry form after handwriting 502 hasbeen received and displayed over the form is shown. Here, thehandwriting is a single stylus stroke roughly comprising a circle.Following the above process 200, the auto selector enables a user toselect a control and receives the handwriting 502 to that end. The autoselector may then follow block 206 and/or blocks 208 and 210 beforeproceeding to block 212. In this example, the handwriting intersectsselectable button area 128. On this basis alone, the auto-selector mayselect the corresponding button control 118. The auto-selector may alsodetermine that a bounded writing area of the handwriting overlaps muchmore of the selectable button area 130 of the button control 120 thanthat of the area 128. The auto-selector may balance these conflictingmanners of selecting a control, in this embodiment by selecting buttoncontrol 120. As this example shows, the architecture enables a user toselect a control without tapping on the control and without thehandwriting of the user intersecting that control.

Returning to process 200, the architecture may indicate its selectiongraphically (not shown), such as by placing an X or check mark in acheck box or coloring in a radio button.

Enabling Automatic Use of a Moving-Input Control

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary process 600 for enabling a user to use amoving-input control, such as a slider-bar or drawing control, withouthaving to make a selection other than handwriting on, over, or near thecontrol. This process is illustrated as a series of blocks representingindividual operations or acts performed by elements of architecture 100,such as moving-input selector 112.

At block 602, architecture 100 displays a data-entry form havingmoving-input control(s). Each control has a moving-input area throughwhich a user may interact with the control. A drawing control, forinstance, may comprise a drawing space for receiving a user's input tomake a drawing. A slider-bar control may comprise a scrolling area forreceiving a user's input.

For example, consider FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows a screen shot 700 ofdata-entry form 108 having a slider-bar control 702. The slider-barcontrol comprises a scrolling area 704, in which slider bar 705 mayslide, for receiving a user's input to scroll through the form.

At block 604, the architecture (e.g., moving-input selector 112)determines regions of a screen into which a moving input to a controlmay be made. These regions may map exactly or substantially tomoving-input areas that are displayed, such as the scrolling area shownin FIG. 7. The architecture may identify these regions geographically,such as by which pixels occupy the regions, for instance.

Following block 604, two exemplary embodiments of the process 600 aredescribed. The first embodiment is described as part of blocks 606 and608. The second embodiment is shown with dashed lines in FIG. 6 anddescribed as part of blocks 610, 612, 614, and 608.

At block 606, the architecture interprets handwriting received to aregion determined to permit moving input as moving input to a controlassociated with that region. The architecture may do so based on wherehandwriting input begins, for instance. Thus, if handwriting beginswithin the moving-input region, it may be interpreted as input to themoving-input control. Conversely, if handwriting is begun outside of theregion but then intercepts the region, it may not be interpreted asinput to the moving-input control. In this case, the tools enable a userto have his or her handwriting interpreted as text or moving inputwithout the user having to make another selection other than where theuser begins handwriting. As part of or preceding block 606, thehandwriting may be received while in a mode permitting handwriting to beinterpreted as text.

The architecture enables this region to be used to input text or movinginput with handwriting without additional user interaction, such theuser selecting to switch away from a mode generally for interpretinghandwriting as text or tapping and holding on a control.

The region determined to permit moving input may map exactly orapproximately to an area or graphic associated with the moving-inputcontrol. In the illustrated example, the region maps to an area occupiedby scrolling area 704 of FIG. 7. In this case, a user may handwrite overthe scrolling area and have his or her handwriting be interpreted astext or as moving input, based on whether or not the handwriting beganin the scrolling area.

At block 608, the architecture inputs the interpreted handwriting to amoving-input control. The effect of this input is shown in FIG. 8, wherescreen shot 800 shows the form scrolled down from its previous position(the handwriting input by the user to the slider-bar control is notdisplayed). The architecture can input the interpreted handwritingcontinuously, enabling in this case the form to be scrolled downcontemporaneously with the user's handwriting, or discontinuously.

Additional handwriting to the screen may be interpreted as moving input,text, or otherwise. If the user writes another handwriting stoke on thescreen, it may be interpreted in a same or different way. Thus, a usermay handwrite for interpretation as text, then handwrite forinterpretation as a moving input (such as described above), and then goback to handwriting for interpretation as text, all without having tomake additional input other than the handwriting itself.

The second embodiment of process 600 follows blocks 610, 612, 614, and608. At block 610, the architecture receives handwriting while in a modepermitting the handwriting to be interpreted as text. This handwritingmay be communicated between elements of the architecture, such asbetween tablet screen 104 and the moving-input selector, and maycomprise indicia for handwriting strokes recognizable as text orotherwise.

Also, the handwriting and/or its indicia may comprise a first portion ofa handwriting stroke that is being received, such as a first pixel ofthe handwriting stoke. This handwriting can be received while in atext-permitting mode; it does not have to be received in a mode in whichhandwriting is generally not interpreted as text, such as when a userselects out of a text-permitting mode by tapping and holding on acontrol. At this block 610, the architecture may receive only a smallportion of the handwriting eventually received before proceeding toselect, interpret, and/or input the handwriting to a control, as setforth in blocks 612, 614, and 608 described herein.

To illustrate a handwriting stroke all of which has been received,consider handwriting 706 of FIG. 7. This handwriting is shown with adotted stroke to illustrate handwriting input from a user, thoughmoving-input selector 112 may instead not show the handwriting otherthan through its effect on a control, such as by having slider bar 705move and the electronic form scroll. If this handwriting were to beinterpreted as text, it could be displayed as a solid-line stroke andmight be interpreted as an “I”, i.e., text, rather than as moving-inputto slider-bar control 702. Moving-input selector 112 may insteadinterpret the handwriting as input to the slider-bar control. In thiscase, the handwriting may not be displayed and the handwriting mayimmediately be used as input to the moving-input control.

At block 612, the moving-input selector selects, responsive to thehandwriting received, a moving-input control. This handwriting receivedmay comprise the first portion of the handwriting stroke being received.The moving-input selector can make this selection based on a geographicrelation between the handwriting and a region of a screen into which amoving input to a control may be made. This geographic relation can bebased on the handwriting intersecting or residing near one of theseregions. Alternately or additionally, a small or first-received portionof the handwriting, such as the first pixel, can be analyzed to make theselection. By so doing, the moving-input selector can select the controlquickly and enable future-received handwriting, such as a remainingportion a handwriting stroke, to quickly be used as input to theselected control.

The moving-input selector selects the slider-bar control based on adetermination that the start point of the handwriting intersects thescrolling area of the slider-bar control, the effect of which is shownwith the illustrated example (the illustrated example also shows effectsof other embodiments, such as the first embodiment of process 600).

The moving-input selector determines a geographic relation betweenhandwriting 706 and scrolling area 704 of the slider-bar control. Inthis case, a start point 708 of handwriting 706 (shown in FIG. 7) iscompared with the scrolling area and found to intersect it. In otherembodiments, however, handwriting may begin outside the moving-inputarea and then intersect the moving-input area. How quickly thehandwriting intersects or a distant between the start point and a firstintersection point may be used to determine whether or not the userintends his or her handwriting to be interpreted as input to a controlrather than text.

In one embodiment, for instance, handwriting begun within three pixelsor one millimeter (whichever is more) that intersects a moving-inputarea within another six pixels or two millimeters (whichever is more) isinterpreted as a moving input to the control having this moving-inputarea.

In still other embodiments, the moving-input selector may use abounding-type algorithm to compute a bounded writing area (e.g., abounding rectangle) of part or all of a handwriting. The moving-inputselector can then compare this bounded writing area with regions of thescreen into which the handwriting is made to make a selection.

At block 614, the architecture, responsive to the selection of thecontrol, interprets handwriting as input to that control. Thearchitecture can interpret the handwriting received and used to make theselection as input to the control (e.g., the first portion of thehandwriting stroke), additional handwriting received after making theselection (e.g., a second portion or remainder of the handwritingstroke), or both. The architecture may do so without reliance on inputfrom a user other than the handwriting itself; in other words, thearchitecture may interpret handwriting as input to a moving-inputcontrol without a user having to first select the control or select thathis or her handwriting not be interpreted as text, such as with atap-and-hold input.

The moving-input selector selected the slider-bar control based on adetermination that the start point of the handwriting intersects thescrolling area of the slider-bar control. Responsive to this selection,the architecture interprets handwriting received after the start pointthat is part of the same handwriting stroke as a command to the controland thus scrolls down through the electronic document.

At block 608, the architecture inputs the interpreted handwriting to themoving-input control, in this case after selecting the moving-inputcontrol. The effect of this input is shown in FIG. 8.

The receiving done at block 610, the selecting done at block 612, theinterpreting at block 614, and the inputting at this block may beperformed quickly and automatically. By so doing, the architecture mayreceive a first and/or small portion of a user's handwriting and, ashandwriting is continuing to be received, select a moving-input controlinto which to input the handwriting as it is received.

In one embodiment, the actions described in blocks 610, 612, 614, and608 or 606 and 608 are performed automatically and/or seamlessly; theuser simply strokes his or her stylus along a slider bar and sees theslider bar move and the electronic form scroll. Thus, without requiringa user to tap and hold over a moving-input control, the tools mayautomatically select a control and treat as moving input to that controlthe user's handwriting.

Enabling a User to Delete Text

FIG. 9 shows an exemplary process 900 for enabling a user to delete textdisplayed on a screen. This process is illustrated as a series of blocksrepresenting individual operations or acts performed by elements ofarchitecture 100, such as scratch-out selector 114.

At block 902, architecture 100 displays text, such as letters ornumbers, on a screen. For purposes of the process 900, the text may bedisplayed as part of a structured or unstructured electronic document,such as tables, data-entry forms having data-entry fields,word-processing documents, and/or dialog box fields. This text may havebeen converted from prior handwriting or otherwise. This text is not,however, handwriting that has not yet been recognized and converted intotext.

At block 904, the architecture receives handwriting at least part ofwhich is made over the displayed text. The handwriting may comprise asingle handwriting stroke or multiple strokes. Also, in one embodiment,the handwriting is received without the user having to first select adata-entry field in which the text is displayed or otherwise indicate acursor location in the field. In this embodiment, the user may simplyhandwrite over text.

Consider, for example, FIG. 10. In this figure, a screen shot 1000 ofelectronic data-entry form 108 is presented having handwriting 1002 overtext 1004 in a data-entry field 1006.

At block 906, the scratch-out selector, responsive to handwriting beingmade over the displayed text, selects at least part of the text. Thisselected text can comprise multiple characters, a single or multiplewords, a single or multiple sentences, and the like. In the illustratedembodiment, the selected text is a single word 1008 (“James”). Thescratch-out selector may determine what part of the text is selectedwithout interaction with the user other than the handwriting received.Thus, the user need only handwrite over the text that he or she wishesto delete; the user does not need to select the text before handwritingover it.

At block 908, the scratch-out selector determines whether or not thehandwriting received is for deleting information, such as the selectedtext. The scratch-out selector may determine if the handwriting is fordeleting text without interaction with the user other than thehandwriting received; the user does not need to perform another actionbesides the handwriting, such as selecting to delete the text before orafter handwriting over it.

The scratch-out selector can analyze the handwriting to determine if itis of a type that a user might make in deleting or obscuring somethingon a paper page. A person writing on paper might, for instance, make aback-and-forth motion with an eraser to delete a word or mark from thepage. Similarly, a person might attempt to obscure a word or mark on apage by scribbling over it or scratching it out.

In the illustrated embodiment, the scratch-out selector treatshandwriting that represents a continuous back-and-forth motion ashandwriting for deleting text. In the case of handwriting generated overa tablet screen with a stylus, this continuity represents a singleback-and-forth stroke made without the stylus being lifted or restingfor a significant period.

In another embodiment, the scratch-out selector bases its determinationon whether the computer-displayed representation of the handwritingobscures a significant portion of the selected text, such as about atwenty percent or more. This handwriting may comprise multiplehandwriting stokes, such as when a user lifts a stylus and thencontinues handwriting to further obscure the text.

In still another embodiment, the scratch-out selector determines thatthe handwriting is for deleting text if it comprises two or more roughlyparallel lines residing substantially over the selected text. Theseroughly parallel lines may be made with two handwriting strokes, forinstance, such as by the user writing one line and then another overtext.

In an embodiment mentioned previously as part of the process 200, thescratch-out selector determines that handwriting received is intended todelete or de-select information other than text. A check box or radiobutton, for instance, that has information indicating that it isselected (such as an X in a check box or a filled-in button on a radiobutton) may be de-selected based on this determination.

At block 910, the architecture, responsive to determining that thehandwriting is for deleting text, deletes the selected text. Continuingthe illustrated embodiment, the word 1008 is then deleted from thedata-entry field (not shown).

CONCLUSION

The above-described tools enable a user's interaction with a computingdevice through handwriting to be more intuitive and/or effective.Although the invention has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarilylimited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specificfeatures and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing theclaimed invention.

1. One or more computer-readable media embodying computer-readableinstructions which, when executed, perform acts comprising: receiving ahandwritten stroke made to a screen that is displaying a control havinga selectable area, at least part of the handwritten stroke residingoutside of the selectable area of the control; and selecting the controlresponsive to the stroke received.
 2. The media of claim 1, furthercomprising displaying the control having the selectable area.
 3. Themedia of claim 1, wherein the control comprises a check box.
 4. Themedia of claim 3, wherein the selectable area of the control is boundedby the check box.
 5. The media of claim 1, wherein the control comprisesa radio button.
 6. The media of claim 5, wherein the selectable area ofthe control is bounded by the radio button.
 7. The media of claim 1,wherein the act of selecting comprises selecting the control if thehandwritten stroke intersects the selectable area of the control.
 8. Themedia of claim 1, wherein the act of selecting comprises selecting thecontrol based on a geographic relation between where on the screen thehandwritten stroke is made and where on the screen the control isdisplayed.
 9. The media of claim 1, wherein the act of selectingcomprises: determining a bounded writing area for the handwritten strokereceived; determining overlapping areas of the bounded writing area andone or more selectable areas of controls displayed on the screen; andselecting the control having a largest overlapping area.
 10. The mediaof claim 1, wherein the screen comprises a tablet screen and the act ofreceiving comprises receiving handwriting made over the tablet screen.11. The media of claim 1, wherein the act of receiving comprisesreceiving handwriting made over a non-screen surface for presentation onthe screen.
 12. The media of claim 1, further comprising indicating thatthe control is selected.
 13. The media of claim 1, wherein theselectable area comprises an indication that the control is selected,and further comprising determining that the handwritten stroke is fordeleting information, and wherein the act of selecting the controlcomprises de-selecting the control.
 14. A system embodying thecomputer-readable media of claim
 1. 15. A method comprising: displaying,on a computing device, controls over which a user is enabled to write;geometrically bounding at least a portion of the user's writing toprovide a bounded writing area; and comparing the bounded writing areawith control geometries and, based upon one or more geometricrelationships therebetween, selecting at least one control as intendedto be selected by the user.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein theuser's writing does not intersect any of the control geometries.
 17. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the user's writing comprises a handwrittenstroke.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the act of geometricallybounding comprises computing a bounding rectangle for the user'swriting.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the control geometriescomprise selectable areas of the controls.
 20. The method of claim 19,wherein at least one of the selectable areas comprises a check box. 21.The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of the selectable areascomprises a radio button.
 22. The method of claim 15, wherein thecontrol geometries comprise areas having text that describe thecontrols.
 23. The method of claim 15, wherein the act of comparingcomprises determining an overlap of the bounded writing area with thecontrol geometries.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the act ofselecting comprises selecting the control having the control geometrywith the largest overlap with the bounded writing area.
 25. The methodof claim 15, further comprising determining that the user's writing isfor deletion of underlying information and wherein the act of selectingat least one control comprises de-selecting the control.
 26. A systemcomprising means for performing the method recited in claim
 15. 27. Oneor more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructionsfor performing the method recited in claim
 15. 28. A method comprising:determining a region of a screen into which handwriting interpretable asmoving input is capable of being made; receiving handwriting made to theregion in a mode permitting the handwriting to be interpreted as text;and interpreting the handwriting as moving input to a moving-inputcontrol associated with the region without user interaction other thanthe handwriting received.
 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the act ofdetermining comprises determining the region by mapping it to an area ofthe screen in which the moving-input control is displayed.
 30. Themethod of claim 28, wherein the region is further capable of receivinghandwriting that is interpretable as text.
 31. The method of claim 28,wherein the act of interpreting the handwriting comprises interpretingthe handwriting as moving input if the handwriting begins in the region.32. The method of claim 28, further comprising interpreting thehandwriting as text if the handwriting begins outside of the region. 33.The method of claim 28, wherein the moving-input control comprises aslider-bar control.
 34. The method of claim 28, wherein the moving-inputcontrol comprises a drawing control.
 35. The method of claim 28, whereinthe act of receiving comprises receiving handwriting made over thescreen with a stylus.
 36. The method of claim 28, further comprisinginputting the interpreted handwriting to the moving-input control. 37.The method of claim 28, further comprising, following the acts ofreceiving and interpreting the first handwriting, receiving secondhandwriting and interpreting the second handwriting as text without userinteraction other than the first and second handwriting received.
 38. Asystem comprising means for performing the method recited in claim 28.39. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readableinstructions for performing the method recited in claim
 28. 40. A methodcomprising: receiving, while in a mode permitting handwriting to beinterpreted as text, a first portion of a handwriting stroke, the firstportion made to a screen displaying a moving-input control; selecting,responsive to the first portion received, the moving-input control; andinterpreting, responsive to the selection, a second portion of thehandwriting stroke as input to the moving-input control.
 41. The methodof claim 40, wherein the first portion comprises indicia indicating astart point of the handwriting stroke.
 42. The method of claim 40,wherein the mode generally interprets handwriting as text.
 43. Themethod of claim 40, wherein the moving-input control comprises aslider-bar control.
 44. The method of claim 40, wherein the moving-inputcontrol comprises a drawing control.
 45. The method of claim 40, whereinthe act of selecting is based on a geographic relation between the firstportion and a region of the screen into which moving-input can be made.46. The method of claim 45, wherein the geographic relation comprises anintersection of the first portion and the region.
 47. The method ofclaim 45, wherein the geographic relation is based on a comparison of abounded writing area of the first portion and the region.
 48. The methodof claim 40, wherein the second portion of the handwriting stroke isreceived after the act of selecting is performed.
 49. The method ofclaim 40, wherein the act of interpreting comprises interpreting thefirst portion of the handwriting stroke as input to the moving-inputcontrol.
 50. The method of claim 40, wherein the first portion and thesecond portion comprise substantially all of the handwriting stroke. 51.The method of claim 40, wherein the act of receiving comprises receivinghandwriting made over the screen with a stylus.
 52. A system comprisingmeans for performing the method recited in claim
 40. 53. One or morecomputer-readable media having computer-readable instructions forperforming the method recited in claim
 40. 54. A computing device havinga screen, computer-readable media, and a processor capable of executingthe computer-readable media, that is capable of: presenting one or moremoving-input controls on the screen; receiving handwriting made to thescreen; selecting, without user interaction independent of thehandwriting received and while in a mode permitting the handwriting tobe interpreted as text, a moving-input control based on a geographicrelation between the handwriting received and a region of the screencapable of receiving moving input intended for one of the moving-inputcontrols; and interpreting the handwriting as input to the selectedmoving-input control.
 55. The device of claim 54, wherein the capabilityof selecting comprises selecting the moving-input control based on ageographic relation between a first-received portion of the handwritingand the region.
 56. The device of claim 55, wherein the capability ofinterpreting comprises interpreting a second-received portion of thehandwriting as input.
 57. The device of claim 54, wherein at least oneof the moving-input controls is a slider-bar control.
 58. The device ofclaim 54, wherein at least one of the moving-input controls is a drawingcontrol.
 59. The device of claim 54 embodied as a hand-held computer.60. The device of claim 54, wherein the screen comprises a tablet screencapable of receiving handwriting made over the tablet screen.
 61. One ormore computer-readable media embodying computer-readable instructionswhich, when executed, perform acts comprising: receiving handwritingfrom a user at least part of which is made over text displayed on ascreen; selecting, without interaction with the user other than thehandwriting received, at least part of the text; and determining,without interaction with the user other than the handwriting received,whether the handwriting received is for deleting the selected text. 62.The media of claim 61, wherein the act of receiving is not predicatedwith a selection of a data-entry field in which the text is displayed.63. The media of claim 61, wherein the acts of receiving, selecting, anddetermining are performed without interaction with the user other thanthe handwriting received.
 64. The media of claim 63, wherein the text isdisplayed in an unselected data-entry field.
 65. The media of claim 61,wherein the handwriting comprises a single stroke.
 66. The media ofclaim 61, wherein the handwriting comprises multiple strokes.
 67. Themedia of claim 61, wherein the selected text comprises multiplecharacters.
 68. The media of claim 61, wherein the selected textcomprises one or more words.
 69. The media of claim 61, wherein theselected text comprises one or more sentences.
 70. The media of claim61, wherein the act of determining comprises: determining that thehandwriting received represents a continuous back-and-forth motion bythe user.
 71. The media of claim 61, wherein the act of determiningcomprises: determining that a displayed representation of thehandwriting received obscures a significant portion of the selectedtext.
 72. The media of claim 71, wherein the significant portioncomprises about twenty or more percent of the text.
 73. The media ofclaim 71, wherein the handwriting received comprises a singlehandwritten stroke.
 74. The media of claim 61, wherein the act ofdetermining comprises: determining that the handwriting receivedcomprises two or more roughly parallel lines residing substantially overthe selected text.
 75. The media of claim 61, further comprisingdeleting the selected text responsive to determining that thehandwriting received is for deleting the selected text.
 76. The media ofclaim 61, wherein the screen comprises a tablet screen and the act ofreceiving comprises receiving handwriting made over the tablet screen.77. The media of claim 61, wherein the act of receiving comprisesreceiving handwriting made over a non-screen surface for presentation onthe screen.
 78. A system embodying the computer-readable media of claim61.
 79. A computing device having a screen, computer-readable media, anda processor capable of executing the computer-readable media, that iscapable of: presenting non-handwritten text on the screen; receiving asingle handwritten stroke made to the screen, at least a portion ofwhich resides over at least a portion of the non-handwritten text; anddeleting, without user interaction independent of the single handwrittenstroke received, two or more characters of the non-handwritten text. 80.The device of claim 79, wherein the capability of presenting comprisingis presenting the non-handwritten text in an unselected data-entry fieldof an electronic data-entry form.
 81. The device of claim 79, whereinthe capability of deleting comprises deleting a word of thenon-handwritten text.
 82. The device of claim 79, wherein the capabilityof deleting comprises determining that the single handwritten strokeresides at least in part over the two or more characters and representsa continuous back-and-forth motion.
 83. The device of claim 79, whereinthe capability of deleting comprises determining that a displayedrepresentation of the single handwritten stroke obscures twenty or morepercent of the two or more characters.
 84. The device of claim 79embodied as a hand-held computer.